School-aged children spend a large amount of time in their school settings, so professionals working with your child can assess and identify needs as they appear. Communication with key members of staff at your child's school, like their SENCO, or form tutor can help you to have a two-way dialogue about how your child is coping and what support can be put in place to help them thrive.
This page covers the next steps to starting a dialogue with professionals who work with your school-aged child.
When you have identified that your child may have unmet needs and requires support put in place, it's useful to keep a record of any interactions with professionals like teachers, extracurricular club staff or support services who are working with your child.
This can be used to back up any concerns you have and help you to give examples of your child's behaviour or development if you decide to seek an assessment in the future.
School Records
Your child's school will have a record of your interactions including concerns you have expressed about your child's differences. If you have any meetings or conversations about your child, it's useful to make a note of any agreed plan and follow it up afterwards by sending an email, so that the school know what you are expecting to happen and can give you feedback.
If you choose to seek a diagnosis, the team who are assessing your child may contact the school for a report about your child's development and behaviour, or visit your child's school to watch them in class and at break time.
Extracurricular Activities & Clubs
If your child attends any activities outside of school and the staff alert you to any concerns, it's useful to ask them to put it into writing, via an email, or write a report for you. It's useful to get a snapshot of how your child copes in different environments.
Private & Charity Support
If you seek support privately or arrange support via a charity, it's useful to ask for an end report when your child's sessions have finished. This information can be shared with your child's school and if you seek a diagnosis, the assessment team as extra information.
If you have any concerns about your child's behaviour or learning, contact the school and speak to:
Primary School
If your child attends primary school, email or call and ask to set up a meeting with your child's class teacher, or the Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo). Use this opportunity to explain your concerns; you may wish to bring along any supporting information you have collected. This could include comments or concerns from professionals working with your child, such as swimming teachers, childminders or extracurricular club leaders.
Secondary School
At secondary school, your child will see more staff daily and it can be confusing to know who to contact. Email or call the school and ask to set up a meeting with one of the following staff members who may support your child at school:
Use this opportunity to explain your concerns; you may wish to bring along any supporting information you have collected. This could include comments or concerns from professionals working with your child, such as swimming teachers, childminders or extracurricular club leaders.
If you have concerns about your child and suspect they may have neurodevelopmental needs, the first contact should be with your child's special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) at school. They are best equipped to make a referral to specialist services like the Neurodevelopmental Service (NDS).
For children who don't attend a school setting, make an appointment and speak to your child's GP about your concerns. Bring along any supporting information that you have collected including evidence from professionals working with your child, these could be swimming teachers, childminders or extracurricular club leaders.
Your GP cannot provide a neurodevelopmental diagnosis, so they will refer you to a team who can carry out diagnostic assessments.
Let us know what you think!
We've been working together in Norfolk and Waveney with families and professionals to put together information, advice and resources that are helpful to families. Let us know what you think, and anything we could change or add to make it even better.
If you live in Norfolk
You can contact the Healthy Child Service team by calling Just One Number on 0300 300 0123 or texting Parentline on 07520 631590. Our opening hours are 8am-6pm Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays) and 9am-1pm on Saturdays.
If you are 11-19 you can text ChatHealth on 07480 635060 for confidential advice from one of our team.
If you live in Waveney
Norfolk SEND Local Offer provide information and advice on services for young people with additional needs in Norfolk.
Suffolk SEND Local Offer provide information and advice on services for young people with additional needs in Waveney.
Mencap is a national charity who support people with learning disabilities. They offer a free Learning Disability Helpline with advice and guidance. Call 0808 808 1111 to speak to a trained professional.
Kooth offers online counselling, advice and emotional well-being support for anyone aged 10-18, seven days a week until 10pm.
Family Hubs bring together a range of services so you can access advice and support on parenting, your lifestyle and family when you need it. Family Hubs operate online and in person with seven Family Hubs sites across Norfolk, where parents and carers can drop in for support.
